There are many situations in which it is desirable to be able to apply a sticker on the inside of a transparent pane to protect the sticker from the elements and/or for easy removal, yet allow it to be read from outside of the area enclosed by the pane. One example of such a use is in the tagging of motor vehicles which have a safety or other violation.
According to the present invention, a label is provided that is particularly useful for disposition on the inside of a transparent pane so that it is visible from the outside, which label is constructed in such a manner that handwritten indicia can be applied to the label prior to the label being brought into contact with the pane. The invention also contemplates a business form which includes the label as one part thereof, as well as a paper "stub" part that may be maintained in a book, fastened with other stubs at one edge thereof, on which information corresponding to that provided on the label may be handwritten. The business form and label according to the present invention are constructed in a simple yet effective manner utilizing readily available component parts and standard equipment.
According to one aspect of the present invention a label is provided which comprises the following elements: A body sheet having first and second faces. Indicia disposed on the first face. A transparent release sheet. Adhesive operatively connecting the transparent release sheet to the body sheet first face, so that the release sheet may be removed from the body sheet and adhesive, and the adhesive will then attach the first face to a substrate. And, image transfer means acting between the release sheet and the body sheet for transferring indicia formed on the release sheet onto the body sheet first face. The image transfer means preferably comprises a self-contained (self-imaging) coating disposed on the body sheet first face, between the first face and the adhesive which is a laminating adhesive. The body sheet is typically paper, and the indicia comprises words and lines indicating where printing (handwritten information) should be placed.
The invention also comprises a business form. The business form includes the following components: A first sheet of paper, having first and second faces, with indicia disposed on the first face, and a first straight edge. A second sheet of paper operatively connected to the first sheet of paper adjacent the first edge thereof, the second sheet having first and second faces generally coplanar with the first sheet first and second faces. A line of weakness formed between the first and second sheets so that they may be separated from each other. And, a first adhesive operatively disposed on the first face and capable of attaching the first sheet first face to a substrate.
Typically the second sheet of the business form has a first edge adjacent the first sheet first edge, and a second edge, opposite the first edge. Means are provided, such as staples, for connecting together a plurality of identical forms at the second edges of the second sheets, to form a book. The first and second sheets may be operatively connected together by a portion of one of the sheets, adjacent the first edge thereof, overlapping the other sheet, and connected to it by a second adhesive. The first sheet of the business form preferably comprises the label described above, including the transparent release sheet and image transfer means.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of constructing a business form using first and second sheets of paper, each having a first straight edge, and each having first and second faces, is provided. The method comprises the steps of substantially sequentially: (a) Feeding the first and second sheets together so that the first edges thereof slightly overlap, defining an area of overlap. (b) Applying a first adhesive between the sheets at the area of overlap thereof, to form a common web. (c) Printing permanent indicia on the first faces of the sheets as they are travelling in a first direction, generally parallel to the first straight edges thereof. (d) Applying a web of release liner having laminating adhesive thereon into contact with the first face of the first sheet. And, (e) cutting the common web in a direction transverse to the first edges of the sheets, to provide individual business forms. There preferably is also the further step of forming lines of weakness in the second sheet, adjacent the area of overlap, and the first sheet is preferably paper having a self-imaging material on the first face, step (d) being practiced to bring the laminated adhesive on the release liner web into contact with the self-imaging material. Step (b) is practiced by applying a stream of cold flow adhesive and a stream of hot melt adhesive to the area of overlap, preferably the streams of adhesive being applied to the first face of the second sheet, just prior to the practice of step (a).
According to another aspect of the present invention, a method of forming a business form, using a paper web having a first face and a second face, is provided, comprising the steps of substantially sequentially: (a) Moving the web in a first direction. (b) As the paper web is moving in the first direction, printing indicia on the first face thereof. (c) Applying a web of transparent release liner having a laminating adhesive onto a first portion, but not a second portion, of the first face of the paper web as it is moving in the first direction so that the adhesive comes into operative contact with the first face of the first portion, the release liner web travelling in the first direction as it is applied. And, (d) cutting the common web in a direction transverse to the first direction, to provide individual business forms. There also is preferably the further step of forming a line of weakness (perforation) in the web second portion adjacent the first portion, and forming a plurality of forms into a book, the forms attached together at the second portion of each form.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a simple yet effective label, business form, and method of constructing a business form, so as to facilitate handwriting on a label which is then applied to the inside surface of a transparent pane, such as a motor vehicle windshield. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.